New Houses now open at Canford

As part of the ongoing strategic plan, the co-location of the four boys' boarding houses and the three co-educational day houses is now complete.

We were delighted to open our second new boys’ boarding house in January 2023 relocating Monteacute to join the other three boys’ boarding houses at the far end of the campus. School House moved from its home in the Manor House to a new building in October 2022.

The new School and Monteacute houses have been built with the environment very much in mind, with thermal and energy efficiency maximised alongside meeting modern boarding standards in terms of security and offering a homely feel with plenty of storage and bright, light communal spaces.  All four boarding houses now each have their own secure gardens – Monteacute and School previously used the main school lawns – and there is easy access to the sporting facilities and green space at this area of the school site.    

The opening of Monteacute completes the plan for all four boys’ boarding houses to be co-located together in modern, purpose built facilities. The next stage, the relocation of all three day houses into the Manor House, is also now complete, with Lancaster moving in the Autumn 2022, Wimborne relocating at the end of January 2023 and Salisbury in April 2023.  The reconfiguration of the former School House areas in the upper floors of the Manor mirrors the ethos of the boarding house developments – to provide house accommodation which is light, bright and fit for purpose with a home-from-home feel.

Alongside these new houses, the strategic plan includes continued investment in all existing boarding houses and facilities across the School to offer all our pupils the best possible spaces in which to live and work. 

Headmaster Ben Vessey said:

“It is very exciting to see this stage of our strategic plan becoming a reality as we start our centenary year.  Offering the best possible working and living environment for our pupils to thrive both academically and pastorally is crucial to the achievement of our vision and ethos.   These new boarding and day houses sit alongside an ongoing commitment to upgrading and developing our existing accommodation to ensure the best possible facilities for all.”

David Brook, Managing Director and Bursar, commented:

“The relocation of the two boys’ boarding houses results in offering the same community feel in boys’ boarding as we already have with the three girls’ boarding houses co-located together, and once the three day houses are located in the Manor, Canford houses will have coherence and consistency while also retaining all-important individual identities.  Our priority is to ensure that pupils have access to facilities which are relevant and fit for purpose for 21^st century boarding school life and all decisions have been taken with the environment and energy saving solutions in mind.  Our thanks go to all those involved in these significant projects which have been completed during the challenges of the pandemic and its aftermath.”